Continuing with the mental health awareness month theme, we have been talking to business leaders about how they are supporting their team and themselves amidst a global pandemic. This week, we interviewed Jeb Banner, Founder, and CEO of Boardable, to learn more about what he and his team are doing to encourage mental health.
Boardable is a board management software created to support nonprofit boards to increase member engagement and more effectively communicate so they can better serve their communities and accomplish their mission.
Boardable offers a variety of services depending on the needs of each nonprofit. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeb and Boardable decided to offer a 90-day trial period. When asked about the reasoning behind this extension Jeb says, “By adding to the nonprofits toolkits, we are helping them serve their communities the best way that they can. We wanted to help them now, help them fast, and not cause them to have to make more choices amidst a global pandemic”. Jeb, like many CEOs, is feeling the stress of leading his team now more so than ever. We asked how he is practicing self-care while working from home. Jeb employs a daily practice of meditation and exercise, as well as calling friends regularly. Although these were all practices that Jeb used before remote work times, his reliance on meditation has only become stronger. While remote work has allowed for many to see a change in their usual pace of life, like a flip of a switch, it doesn’t come without struggles. In our interview, Jeb stressed the idea of work and home separation, “There is so much pressure to work continually, there is not much separation from work when you are working from home and living at home.” Meditation helps Jeb find the ability to observe this separation in his daily life.
While Jeb has been able to see the benefits of self-care practices, he has also helped his team see their importance and encourage them as a leader. The Boardable team has made it mandatory for employees to take time off. In addition, their leadership has also been dedicated to checking in with all employees to ensure that everyone feels supported virtually while they are no longer meeting in person.
Boardable’s dedication to supporting their own mental health, while they support their clients on the front lines of service is a driving factor that allows them to help so many communities and nonprofits do the work that is getting us through this pandemic. Go Boardable! You can learn more about Boardable’s projects and their trial period here.